Monday, October 8, 2012

We Survived Shanghai!

The night of our Day 3 was the schedule of our flight back to Manila. We took the Metro Line 2 from East Nanjing Road to Pudong International Airport, which took us a little over an hour in the train. We checked-in at the Cebu Pacific counter, but since it's already 11pm, most of the food places there were already closed. There's one open somewhere near the boarding gates, but it's quite expensive there. We chose to spend all the Yuans left in our pockets here! haha! (But when I got home I actually found a left over of around 140 RMB in the deepest part of my bag haha)

survivors! haha!


 we were too hungry that we forgot to take a photo of the ramen we ordered lol

just so you won't get bored at the airport

After all the misadventures in our 3-day trip in Shanghai, I can say that we really had fun. We had a lot of discoveries and we learned a lot from this trip.

Although we initially planned to visit Shanghai Zoo, the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium, the Jiang'an Temple, the Jade Buddha Temple, and the buffet at the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, we were not able to do so due to our very tight itinerary. We could've gone to all of those places if we stayed there for 5 days. But of course, that would mean more expenses. So here's a quick estimate of our expenses:

Round Trip Airfare (Manila-Pudong Shanghai-Manila) - Php 5000+ each
*Our trip was dated Sept. 20-24 and we bought it on promo on the 1st week of June.
Accommodation for 2pax (3 nights) - Php 4100 (so Php 2,050 each)
*We booked it via Agoda and paid through credit card. Among the Jinjiang Group of Hotels, Jinjiang Inn in Donbaoxing had the highest ratings, and we agree!:)
Philippine Travel Tax: Php 1620 each
NAIA Terminal 3 Terminal Fee: Php 550 each
ERA: Intersection of Time (Shanghai Circus World) - Php 1254 each (or 190 RMB)
*We're supposed to by the farthest seats at 90 RMB but we missed the day we originally reserved those seats so we had no choice but to use a credit card to pay for 190 RMB each on the night of the show (since 90 RMB seats were already full); but it's worth it!:)
Pocket Money (shopping not included) - Php 7500 each
*We had this changed to Yuan at Czarina Money Changer in Makati Cinema Square. Just make sure you reserve Yuans 3 days prior to the day you'll have your money changed. To cover transportation, food (and cocktails haha) expenses, entrance fees to attractions and some "pasalubong" to our common friends. It's always better to bring a credit card or contingency funds.
Emergency Expense (Airport Hotel Accommodation for 2 pax for 12 hrs) - Php 2,625 (or Php 1312 each
*Cebu Pacific flights are always at 8:20pm and you arrive there in Shanghai at midnight. It is better to book that as your first night in your hotel because that's our mistake. We thought we could stay at the airport 'til the Metro opens at around 5:30am but Pudong International Airport was just a dead zone by midnight 'til before sunrise. So we ended up booking an airport hotel (15 mins away from the airport w/ free transfers) at 398 RMB even if we stayed there for only 8hrs. Thank God for credit cards!

So we spent a a total of Php 21,400 each in our 3-day trip. Could've been cheaper if not because of that emergency expense haha!

Some quick tips:
1. Do a lot of research so you can plan your itinerary and come up with a budget.
2. Download these apps: Trip Advisor, Wow Shanghai, Shanghai Metro, Guidepal Shanghai.
3. To be updated of the events, log on to www.smartshanghai.com.
4. If you're a CouchSurfer, there are a lot of CS members there who have available couches you can surf. Although I wasn't able to meet with any of them due to our tight schedule.
5. Make a reservation online for your ERA tickets and just pay upon pick-up before the show.
6. Be sure that your check-in baggage weighs exactly as the allowable baggage weight or else you'll end up opening your baggage there and pulling out your stuff to make them your carry-on baggage. I suggest you bring an extra bag (a foldable one) so if you have to remove stuff from your check-in baggage, you can move some of your stuff to your extra bag for carry-on baggage.
7.Bring food and water all the time because you might be skipping meals trying to accomplish everything in your itinerary.
8. Wear comfortable clothes, most especially your footwear! Flats or sneakers will do.
9. Bring Chinese Yuan. Reserve Yuan first at Czarina Money Changer.
10. Do not trust the 1st price they give you. Haggle to death! Be kind always but try to act as if you're leaving so they'll chase you and give you the price you want.
11. Get a city map at the airport. It will navigate you to the famous attractions there.
12. Bars and Clubs are primarily located in Fuxing Road, plus some are in Century Avenue and The Bund.
13. In crossing the Huangpu River, take the ferry as its way cheaper and better than The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel.
14. Dedicate an entire day for shopping. We were not able to do it!
15. Get the number of the Shanghai Translator (maybe online).
16. Roam your mobile phone. Data roaming is available at promo rates with Globe because of the Bridge Alliance. For Smart, data charging is per KB usage.
17. Ask the person from the check-in counter to put a "Fragile" mark on your luggage so they won't torture your luggage.
18. They don't have Facebook and Twitter there but there's Foursquare, Path, and Instagram.
19. It's super hard to find a free wifi hotspot there. There's an open wifi at O'yamee in Century Avenue though haha!
20. They said buffet's good at the Oriental Pearl TV Tower revolving restaurant. Lunch is cheaper than dinner, and it's priced at around Php 2000 - Php 2500. We missed that because we didn't have much time.

So that's a wrap! Hope this can guide you as you plan your trip to Shanghai.:) Check out my previous posts for more detailed tips:


xoxo!

1 comment:

Monday, October 8, 2012

We Survived Shanghai!

The night of our Day 3 was the schedule of our flight back to Manila. We took the Metro Line 2 from East Nanjing Road to Pudong International Airport, which took us a little over an hour in the train. We checked-in at the Cebu Pacific counter, but since it's already 11pm, most of the food places there were already closed. There's one open somewhere near the boarding gates, but it's quite expensive there. We chose to spend all the Yuans left in our pockets here! haha! (But when I got home I actually found a left over of around 140 RMB in the deepest part of my bag haha)

survivors! haha!


 we were too hungry that we forgot to take a photo of the ramen we ordered lol

just so you won't get bored at the airport

After all the misadventures in our 3-day trip in Shanghai, I can say that we really had fun. We had a lot of discoveries and we learned a lot from this trip.

Although we initially planned to visit Shanghai Zoo, the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium, the Jiang'an Temple, the Jade Buddha Temple, and the buffet at the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, we were not able to do so due to our very tight itinerary. We could've gone to all of those places if we stayed there for 5 days. But of course, that would mean more expenses. So here's a quick estimate of our expenses:

Round Trip Airfare (Manila-Pudong Shanghai-Manila) - Php 5000+ each
*Our trip was dated Sept. 20-24 and we bought it on promo on the 1st week of June.
Accommodation for 2pax (3 nights) - Php 4100 (so Php 2,050 each)
*We booked it via Agoda and paid through credit card. Among the Jinjiang Group of Hotels, Jinjiang Inn in Donbaoxing had the highest ratings, and we agree!:)
Philippine Travel Tax: Php 1620 each
NAIA Terminal 3 Terminal Fee: Php 550 each
ERA: Intersection of Time (Shanghai Circus World) - Php 1254 each (or 190 RMB)
*We're supposed to by the farthest seats at 90 RMB but we missed the day we originally reserved those seats so we had no choice but to use a credit card to pay for 190 RMB each on the night of the show (since 90 RMB seats were already full); but it's worth it!:)
Pocket Money (shopping not included) - Php 7500 each
*We had this changed to Yuan at Czarina Money Changer in Makati Cinema Square. Just make sure you reserve Yuans 3 days prior to the day you'll have your money changed. To cover transportation, food (and cocktails haha) expenses, entrance fees to attractions and some "pasalubong" to our common friends. It's always better to bring a credit card or contingency funds.
Emergency Expense (Airport Hotel Accommodation for 2 pax for 12 hrs) - Php 2,625 (or Php 1312 each
*Cebu Pacific flights are always at 8:20pm and you arrive there in Shanghai at midnight. It is better to book that as your first night in your hotel because that's our mistake. We thought we could stay at the airport 'til the Metro opens at around 5:30am but Pudong International Airport was just a dead zone by midnight 'til before sunrise. So we ended up booking an airport hotel (15 mins away from the airport w/ free transfers) at 398 RMB even if we stayed there for only 8hrs. Thank God for credit cards!

So we spent a a total of Php 21,400 each in our 3-day trip. Could've been cheaper if not because of that emergency expense haha!

Some quick tips:
1. Do a lot of research so you can plan your itinerary and come up with a budget.
2. Download these apps: Trip Advisor, Wow Shanghai, Shanghai Metro, Guidepal Shanghai.
3. To be updated of the events, log on to www.smartshanghai.com.
4. If you're a CouchSurfer, there are a lot of CS members there who have available couches you can surf. Although I wasn't able to meet with any of them due to our tight schedule.
5. Make a reservation online for your ERA tickets and just pay upon pick-up before the show.
6. Be sure that your check-in baggage weighs exactly as the allowable baggage weight or else you'll end up opening your baggage there and pulling out your stuff to make them your carry-on baggage. I suggest you bring an extra bag (a foldable one) so if you have to remove stuff from your check-in baggage, you can move some of your stuff to your extra bag for carry-on baggage.
7.Bring food and water all the time because you might be skipping meals trying to accomplish everything in your itinerary.
8. Wear comfortable clothes, most especially your footwear! Flats or sneakers will do.
9. Bring Chinese Yuan. Reserve Yuan first at Czarina Money Changer.
10. Do not trust the 1st price they give you. Haggle to death! Be kind always but try to act as if you're leaving so they'll chase you and give you the price you want.
11. Get a city map at the airport. It will navigate you to the famous attractions there.
12. Bars and Clubs are primarily located in Fuxing Road, plus some are in Century Avenue and The Bund.
13. In crossing the Huangpu River, take the ferry as its way cheaper and better than The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel.
14. Dedicate an entire day for shopping. We were not able to do it!
15. Get the number of the Shanghai Translator (maybe online).
16. Roam your mobile phone. Data roaming is available at promo rates with Globe because of the Bridge Alliance. For Smart, data charging is per KB usage.
17. Ask the person from the check-in counter to put a "Fragile" mark on your luggage so they won't torture your luggage.
18. They don't have Facebook and Twitter there but there's Foursquare, Path, and Instagram.
19. It's super hard to find a free wifi hotspot there. There's an open wifi at O'yamee in Century Avenue though haha!
20. They said buffet's good at the Oriental Pearl TV Tower revolving restaurant. Lunch is cheaper than dinner, and it's priced at around Php 2000 - Php 2500. We missed that because we didn't have much time.

So that's a wrap! Hope this can guide you as you plan your trip to Shanghai.:) Check out my previous posts for more detailed tips:


xoxo!

1 comment: